Karim Darwish has been one of Egypt's leading players throughout the decade. The 25-year-old from Cairo boasts 11 PSA Tour titles from 16 final appearances - and celebrated a career-high world No5 ranking in March 2004.

Darwish began 2004 with three successive title wins, the Apawamis Open, the Dayton Open and the Swedish Open which led to his best-ever No5 world ranking the following month.

After a disappointing period thereafter, Darwish rediscovered his form in 2006 - reaching the semi-finals of the Canary Wharf Classic, the Tournament of Champions, the Liverpool 08 Open, the British Open and the Pakistan Open.

His 2007 campaign saw him make it to the last four of the Dayton Open, the Swedish Open, the Kuala Lumpur Open and the recent US Open. Darwish made the unexpected place in the semi-finals of the Super Series Platinum event in New York City after despatching compatriot Amr Shabana when the top seed and world number one retired injured after 28 minutes. But the tenth seed failed in the final hurdle to reach the final when he lost to James Willstrop of England in a five-game thriller.